The present invention relates to a push-button switch employed in various electronic apparatuses, such as television receivers and video cassette recorders, and it also relates to a multiple switch using the push-button switch.
Recently, the market has demanded that electronic apparatuses have versatile and advanced functions. This market situation entails versatile applications and specifications for push-button switches. To be more specific, in addition to switching a mono-function with one push-button, the need to move a cursor on a screen, for instance, up and down or side to side with a plurality of push-buttons, and the need to select a menu with another push-button, have increased in the market.
Such a conventional push-button switch is described with reference to FIG. 13 to FIG. 15. FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of a conventional push-button switch, and FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of the same switch. In FIGS. 13 and 14, insulating board 1 has a plurality of conductive patterns (not shown) on its upper and lower faces. A pair of fixed contacts 1A are disposed at the center of the upper surface of board 1, and four sets of fixed contacts 1B are radially formed to be equally spaced apart around contacts 1A.
Actuator 2 is made of resilient material such as rubber. Base section 2A of actuator 2 forms an approximately flat board and overlies insulating board 1. On base section 2A, first actuating section 2B and second actuating section 2C protrude upward, and linking sections 2D and 2E for linking both actuating sections 2B and 2C to base section 2A are formed. Each of linking sections 2D and 2E is formed as a thin dome.
Movable contacts 2F and 2G are formed on the underside of actuating sections 2B and 2C, and face respective fixed contacts 1A and 1B at a given spacing. Case 3, having an open underside, covers actuator 2. Case 3 is made of insulating resin, and has five openings 3A on its upper surface. Through openings 3A, actuating sections 2B and 2C protrude upwardly.
Operation of the conventional push-button switch discussed above will now be described. The upper surfaces of actuating sections 2B and 2C protruding from the upper surface of case 3 are depressed, so that actuating sections 2B and 2C move downward by bending linking sections 2D and 2E. Movable contacts 2F and 2G are brought into contact with fixed contacts 1A and 1B on board 1, thereby closing the pair of contact points 1A and 1B.
When the pressure to the actuating sections is removed, movable contacts 2F and 2G spring back to a neutral position (contacts are open) shown in FIG. 13 due to the elastic restoring force of linking sections 2D and 2E.
This type of push-button switch is mounted to an operation panel of an electronic apparatus, and is connected to an electronic circuit of the apparatus. This switch is used, for instance, in the following application: any one of four second actuating sections 2C is depressed to move the cursor up and down or side to side on the screen, then first actuating section 2B is depressed to select an item from a menu.
In this conventional switch, the shapes or the thickness of actuating sections 2B and 2C or linking sections 2D and 2E can be varied, thereby changing the required operating force or stroke of the switch somewhat. However, it is difficult to set a significantly different required operating force or stroke for respective actuating sections 2B and 2C due to limitations such as size and layout of the entire switch, although the respective actuating sections are to be used for different functions.
The present invention addresses the problem discussed above, and aims to offer a push-button switch in which the required operating force and stroke can be variously set in accordance with an application. The push-button switch of the present invention comprises the following elements. An insulating board has a plurality of switch-contacts formed thereon. An actuator is made of resilient material and includes a base section on the insulating board; a first actuating section coupled to the base section via its linking section; and a second actuating section coupled to the base section via its linking section. An urging body includes a first end journaled by a supporting section formed on the insulating board or another supporting section formed on the actuator, and a second end for urging the first actuating section. An operating button is arranged for depressing the mid section of the urging body.
This structure allows the push-button switch to be operated in the following way: Depressing force travels to the first actuating section via the urging body and also travels to the second actuating section directly, not via the urging body. The first and second actuating sections thus have substantially different operating forces and strokes, so that various combinations of operating forces and strokes can be used for the push-button switch. A multi-switch device employing this push-button switch can be provided.